Top Law Schools

Hey, this is my first post here although I have been lurking for quite a time.

I'll cut right to the chase, I am an undergraduate student at Villanova, poly sci major//classical studies minor.

*3.29 undergraduate GPA
*Set to graduate with a major and minor in 3 years (thanks AP)
*minor in classical studies, which included 4 semesters of Latin. Don't know if this helps.
*In the honors program, took a number of honors courses.
*White Male
*2 years of summer internship at lawfirm
*2 solid LoR, one from the firm and one from my uncle, who is a graduate of both NYU Law and Fordham Law.
*Just took October LSAT - I was scoring from 172-177 on my practice exams, and I'm quite certain that I scored 170+ on this one as well. Lets just call it 172.

I am going to attend a law school in New York, that is for damn sure. So I will be applying to NYU, Fordham, Cornell, Columbia, St. Johns, and Hofstra. Can you tell me what my chances are, approximately, for those law schools. I know my GPA is total shit, but I'll be an interesting case, I think.

My guess it that I'd have no shot at Columbia, whatsoever, and probably not at Cornell, but NYU and Fordham I have SOME chance on the standing of a LoR from an alumni. Fortunately, those are my top two choices.

Thanks

play2win wrote:Hey, this is my first post here although I have been lurking for quite a time.

I'll cut right to the chase, I am an undergraduate student at Villanova, poly sci major//classical studies minor.

*3.29 undergraduate GPA
*Set to graduate with a major and minor in 3 years (thanks AP)
*minor in classical studies, which included 4 semesters of Latin. Don't know if this helps.
*In the honors program, took a number of honors courses.
*White Male
*2 years of summer internship at lawfirm
*2 solid LoR, one from the firm and one from my uncle, who is a graduate of both NYU Law and Fordham Law.
*Just took October LSAT - I was scoring from 172-177 on my practice exams, and I'm quite certain that I scored 170+ on this one as well. Lets just call it 172.

I am going to attend a law school in New York, that is for damn sure. So I will be applying to NYU, Fordham, Cornell, Columbia, St. Johns, and Hofstra. Can you tell me what my chances are, approximately, for those law schools. I know my GPA is total shit, but I'll be an interesting case, I think.

My guess it that I'd have no shot at Columbia, whatsoever, and probably not at Cornell, but NYU and Fordham I have SOME chance on the standing of a LoR from an alumni. Fortunately, those are my top two choices.

Thanks

look at lawschoolpredictor.com and lawschoolnumbers.com

your application isn't abnormal enough for that not to be helpful

oh very cool. law school calculator was a lot better than hourumd or whatever that site was.

LOR from an alumni really isn't going to make a difference. In fact, as it stands, your LORs are probably going to hurt you since pretty much all schools want at least 1 academic LOR (many want 2). And really, getting a LOR from a relative? Bad, bad move.

As for your actual chances, it's really going to vary depending on your LSAT score. 172 will put you at median for NYU/CLS, but since your GPA is well below 25th percentile it's going to have a totally different effect than if you were at or above their 75th percentile - which is when it *might* be worth their time to take your abysmal (by their standards) GPA (I have a similar GPA, so not trying to insult you). You will always have a better chance at Cornell than NYU with that GPA - if you really do score 170+, Cornell is where you should be aiming, as you're going to need significantly higher than 172 to even have the slightest fighting chance at NYU.

Assuming 172+, you're pretty much an autoding at CLS and a waitlist at NYU. One 3.3/172/non-URM (no softs listed on LSN) got into NYU ED last year so if I were you I would ED to NYU as long as you are 172+. You're still probably a waitlist but you might as well give it a shot. Cornell is a good chance so that's your target and Fordham is your backup. I wouldn't touch any other schools.

Your LOR's are largely irrelevant.

Why are you attending law school in New York for sure? I mean I could understand if you had limitations that meant you could only work in NYC (like family, SO, etc) but if you're willing to go to Cornell then you should at least consider Michigan, Virginia, and Penn which I would pick over Cornell and definitely over Fordham. Unless there is some consideration I am missing.

bk187 wrote:Assuming 172+, you're pretty much an autoding at CLS and a waitlist at NYU. One 3.3/172/non-URM (no softs listed on LSN) got into NYU ED last year so if I were you I would ED to NYU as long as you are 172+. You're still probably a waitlist but you might as well give it a shot. Cornell is a good chance so that's your target and Fordham is your backup. I wouldn't touch any other schools.

Your LOR's are largely irrelevant.

Why are you attending law school in New York for sure? I mean I could understand if you had limitations that meant you could only work in NYC (like family, SO, etc) but if you're willing to go to Cornell then you should at least consider Michigan, Virginia, and Penn which I would pick over Cornell and definitely over Fordham. Unless there is some consideration I am missing.

New York City snobbery.

Just kidding, yeah, no way at NYU/Columbia unless 175 and up, Cornell looks good, MVP also look good.

Get a 3rd letter from someone not related to you. They might not appreciate having someone's relatives serve as 1 of the 2 required references.